Page 97 of Silver Angel

“You deny what he did to her every single time he summoned her?”

“No.”

“Then what more can you tell me? So he needed an outlet for his temper. Other men punch walls.” Rahine nearly choked trying to hold back a chuckle. Chantelle saw this and scowled. “Go ahead and laugh. It’s very funny that that woman was victimized to the bitter end.”

Rahine sobered. “No, it’s not funny. It’s tragic. But Jamil isn’t to blame.”

“He—”

“Shahar!” Rahine cut in sharply. “You’re going to listen to me this time whether you want to or not. Jamil was provoked. Mara deliberately forced him to punish her each time she was summoned. Did she tell you that?”

“No, but I don’t see how that leaves him blameless. He should have realized something was wrong with her and left her alone. Instead he called for her more often, using her as his whipping post. Do you know how disgusting that is?”

“I can see there is no getting through to you.” Rahine sighed. “It makes no difference that she gave every impression of wanting to be abused? There are women who enjoy that sort of thing, you know.”

“She hated it afterward.”

“Then she should have said something.”

Chantelle couldn’t disagree with that. She had told Mara the same thing. But she didn’t want to see Jamil’s side of it, especially now. For five days after Mara’s death he had summoned her, and she had turned away from him.Hecould have told her what Rahine just did, but he hadn’t bothered. He’d simply got angry when she wouldn’t talk to him. And then he had gone to Sheelah. Well, fine. Wonderful. He could continue going to Sheelah. Chantelle wanted nothing more to do with him.

She turned away, mumbling, “Why doesn’t he take Sheelah with him on this trip instead?”

“He usually does take her whenever he leaves Barikah, but this time he wants you. It is your chance to make up with him, Shahar,” Rahine pointed out hesitantly.

“And if I don’t want to?”

“I imagine that’s why Jamila is going along, too,” Rahine said deliberately.

Chantelle swung back around, eyes narrowed and glittering violet. “He can just—”

“Enough, Shahar! I really don’t have time to argue with you anymore. Jamil has sent for me, and I’m late now. Pack your things. Be ready to leave by this evening. And if I don’t see you again before you leave…” Rahine stepped forward to embrace her. “Allah go with you, and hopefully, he will help you come to your senses.”

Rahine had to rush now to Jamil’s apartment, but she had wanted to tell Shahar of the trip herself. She had hoped it would cheer the girl up, the honor of being chosen to accompany the Dey, but apparently it hadn’t. At least Shahar had listened this time about Mara. She was intelligent. She wouldn’t continue to blame Jamil for Mara’s sickness. But she was stubborn, too. For too long she had been the one and only favorite. The jealousy she had tried to deny was going to fester for a while. And if Jamil grows impatient with her and makes use of Jamila on the ship, that jealousy will magnify, she thought.

She should mention it to Jamil. She was still thinking about it when she arrived and found him alone in the room. That was unusual. He usually had a half-dozen attendants at hand. But her being here was unusual as well. He hadn’t summoned her to his rooms in years. She couldn’t even begin to think of a reason for it now, and so hadn’t tried to, afraid whatever it was wasn’t going to be good.

To put it off, she went right to the subject that might distract him. “I just came from seeing Shahar to tell her of the trip.”

“How did she take the news?”

“She knows Jamila is going, too.”

Derek laughed. “So she didn’t take it well. No matter, Mother, she will have other things to get in a snit over once we sail.”

There was that heart-stopping “Mother” again. Rahine was so unnerved at hearing it that she almost missed the fact that Jamil was speaking in English. For her benefit? Not likely. He rarely used English except with foreign diplomats who spoke nothing else, the reason being he didn’t speak it very well—or at least he didn’t used to speak it well. He had obviously mastered the language since the last time she had heard him speak it, when he was a child.

“Where…is your destination?” she asked hesitantly. “I haven’t been told.”

“To England, and I want you to come with me.”

“I want you to stay. Mother,” Jamil said from the garden doorway.

Rahine looked between the two and said only, “Oh, God,” before she started to collapse.

Derek leaped forward to catch her. “Dammit, Jamil, I thought you were going to give me a few minutes to break it to her gently!”

“And let you steal her right out from under my nose?” Jamil accused him.